Compensation balance-wheel for watches and the like.



I J. GHAOUL. COMPENSATION BALANCE WHEEL FOR WATGHES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED 11:31:10, 1910.

982,479. PatentedJan.24,1911.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J'ALIL CI-IAOUL, OF GUADALAJARA, MEXICO.

COMPENSATION BALANCEJVHEEL FOR WATCHES AND THE LIKE.

Application filed June 10, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J ALIL GI-IAOUL, a subject of the Sultan of Turkey, residing at Guadalajara, State of J alisco, Mexico, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Compensation Balance-lVheels for atches and the Like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in compensation balance wheels for watches and the like, and the objects of the invention are to improve upon such devices and make the balance wheel more accurate and eiiicient for the purposes for which it is intended.

Other objects of the invention are to produce a greater degree of firmness or consistency of the parts of the wheel. without altering or detracting from the equilibrium, to increase the uniformity of dilation and contraction owing to differences of temperz ture, and provide a balance wheel of such construction that shocks or blows produced by falls or other causes will not deform the wheel.

Further objects of the invention are to preserve the poise of the wheel under sub-- stantially all conditions, as for instance, in the case of jolts or jarring which would ordinarily cause a balance wheel to get out of true or lose its oise.

To these ends tie invention consists of a balance wheel shown in one of its preferred embodiments in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a balance wheel embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a detail plan view partly broken away and partly in section, taken through that portion of the rim adjacent one end of the arm; Fig. 3 is a detail elevation partly broken away and partly in section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; and Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 with certain of the parts removed.

In accordance with this invention I am enabled to construct a balance wheel which affords a greater degree of firmness or con sistency of the parts than heretofore, without sacrificing the necessary resiliency to provide for expansion and contraction. I permit sufficient expansion and contraction or relative movement between the rim sections, but I confine this movement to the longitudinal plane of the rim and I prevent lateral Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 24, 1911.

Serial No. 588,16.

or transverse movement between the rim sec-- tions. ,By this means I am enabled to preserve the poise and equilibrium to a much greater degree than has heretofore been obtained in a balance wheel for watches and the like. The rim sections are confined to move in the plane of the rim, so that the dilation and contraction is substantially uniform and the watch is caused to run uniformly, and without interruption. hIore accurate time can be kept with a watch provided with my balance wheel than heretofore. I obtain these results by means of a balance wheel, one preferred embodiment of which is shown in the accompanying drawings, although I am not to be limited to the details of construction illustrated.

In accordance with this invention the central portion of the wheel comprising the transverse arm m is of rigid construction and provided with the central shaft opening E. The necessary resiliency to provide for expansion and contraction is afforded in the rim sections and each section is formed of the inner frames F preferably of steel and the outer frames G preferably of brass soldered together. The end of one inner frame F is integrally connected to one end of the arm at and the end of the other inner frame F is integrally. connected to the other end of said arm at. Spaces 0 are left between the cnds of the inner frames F, and these inner frames F are preferably longer than the outer frames G and project beyond the outer frames at each end as shown particularly in Fig. 1.

In order to connect the free and fixed ends of the sectional rim, I provide rigid connecting pieces L preferably of steel lying wholly between the ends of the outer frames G and bridging the spaces 0 between the free and fixed ends of the inner frames F, said connecting pieces being permanently fastened to the fixed ends of the inner frames F as by means of the screws B which may be of steel, and adjustably connected to the free ends. of the frames F, as by means of pin and slot connections, thereby confining the relative circumferential movement between the rim sections in the same lateral plane. Spaces (Z are preferably left between pieces L and frames G. The connecting pieces L are preferably of substantially the same thickness as the outer frames G, and by placing these pieces in the outer frame the weight is substantially uniformly distributed and greater uniformity of operation is obtained.

Any suitable connections may be provided between the connecting pieces and the inner frames F, but I prefer a pin and slot connection as shown. In this instance the free ends of the inner frames F are provided with elongated slots 0, through which extend set screws A preferably screw threaded into the connecting pieces L and provided with collars or enlarged shanks a substan tially equal in diameter to the width of the slot 0. By this means longitudinal movement between the rim sections is permitted, while lateral movement is prevented, since the collar a substantially fills the width of the slot 0. A sliding movement is permitted in the slot 0, but the rim sections are held substantially in line with each other in the same longitudinal plane. The set screws A are preferably of steel and it will be observed that the parts at which the wear occurs are all of steel, which is an advantage.

There is sufficient resiliency in the sectional frames to permitrelative movement between the frame sections with changes of temperature and for other causes. Obviously there may be one or more connecting pieces L inserted in the rim at such points as may be desirable and the invention is not limited to two such pieces.

I claim and desire to obtain by Letters Patent the following:

1. A compensation balance wheel for watches and the like, comprising a rigid arm and a sectional rim, each section formed of inner and outer frames of different materials, the end of one inner frame being secured to one end of the said arm, the end of the other inner frame being secured to the other end of the said arm, the inner frames being longer than the outer frames, and projecting beyond the outer frames at each end, rigid connecting pieces of the same material as the inner frames lying wholly between the ends of the outer frames and on top of the projecting portions of the inner frames and bridging the spaces between the free and fixed ends of the inner frames, said connecting pieces being permanently fastened to the fixed ends of the inner frames and adjustably connected to the free ends of the said frames, thereby confining the relative circumferential movement between the rim sections in the same lateral plane.

2. A compensation balance wheel for watches and the like, comprising a rigid arm and a sectional rim, each section formed of inner and outer frames of different materials, the end of one inner frame being secured to one end of the said arm, the end of the other inner frame being secured to the other end of the said arm, the inner frames being longer than the outer frames, and projecting beyond the outer frames at each end, rigid connecting pieces of the same material as the inner frames lying wholly between the ends of the outer frames, and on top of the projecting portions of the inner frames and bridging the spaces between the free and fixed ends of the lnner frames, said connecting pieces being permanently fastened to the fixed ends of the inner frames and a pin and slot connection between the said connecting pieces and the free ends of the said frames, thereby confining the relative circumferential movement between the rim sections in the same lateral plane.

3. A compensation balance wheel for watches and the like, comprising an arm and a sectional rim, each section formed of inner and outer frames, the end of one inner frame being secured to one end of the arm, the end of the other inner frame being secured to the other end of said arm, rigid connecting pieces lying between the free and fixed ends of the rim sections, said connecting pieces being permanently fastened to the fixed ends of the sections, the free ends of the sections being provided with elongated slots and screw threaded pins extending through said slots into said connecting pieces, said screw threaded pins being provided with enlarged collars substantially equal in diameter to the width of the slot, thereby confining the relative circumferential movement between the rim sections in the same lateral plane.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JALIL CHAOUL. lVitnesses L. San'rosne, FRANCIS V. THOMAS. 

